Michiru Oshima and John DeSentis have announced their concert, and Kickstarter, to happen at this years G-Fest. Kaiju Crescendo will include works by Michiru Oshima as well as other selections, check out many of the details below and head on over to Kickstarter to support this awesome project.

About Kaiju Crescendo
Japanese Monster Music Returns to Chicago in July, 2019!
Fans and attendees of G-FEST 2014 and 2015 were treated to two incredible and memorable nights of their favorite kaiju music. "IFUKUBE 100: A LEGACY OF MONSTER MUSIC" and "SYMPHONIC FURY: THE MUSIC OF JAPANESE MONSTERS" brought many kaiju fans and professionals together to celebrate the tapestry of wonderful scoring that has been the Godzilla series. After a three year break, monstrous music is back in a big way with the most varied offering yet. "KAIJU CRESCENDO: AN EVENING OF JAPANESE MONSTER MUSIC" will bring some of the most incredible Tokusatsu film scores together for an unforgettable performance during G-FEST XXVI weekend, July 12-14th, 2019. 

​MICHIRU OSHIMA WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Which of the cues from her three scores do you want to hear the MOST? Please leave a comment, or write a message to this Kickstarter page and let us know about your favorite musical tracks and we will take a consensus as we finalize the set list! YOU can help decide the program!

​In addition, John will be stepping up to perform some of the most requested score highlights from the Godzilla series and other beloved films from the Golden Era of Tokusatsu. The legacy of Akira Ifukube will be celebrated beginning with "Rodan" (1956) which is the most requested film score by the maestro to get the live treatment with the orchestra. 

Also being honored: the great Masaru Sato and his scores from "Son of Godzilla" (1967) and "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" (1974). These two works represent some of the most popular of his distinguished career and Mr. Sato's musical legacy is one that we cannot wait to salute.

​All works will be appropriately licensed for recording and performance from JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers) through the Harry Fox Agency in the United States as well as ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers). The CDs will be manufactured professionally and be of the highest quality, as will any other rewards.

​Please join us in helping to create yet another memorable and incredible night of Japanese monster music. Remember that even if you cannot attend the concert, your contribution becomes a building block toward the ultimate goal and we have some exciting ways to thank you. Take a look at the Kickstarter rewards we have to offer and pick the one that works best for you (financially or otherwise).

Brooklyn Academy of Music is holding the Ghosts and Monsters: Postwar Japanese Horror film festival, that features a number of Japanese horror and monster films. It is part of the larger BAMcinématek which presents classic films, premieres, festivals, and retrospectives, with appearances by filmmakers, actors, and critics. There will be a number of showings of each film (listed below). It takes place Oct 26 to Nov 1 at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Rose Cinemas 30 Lafayette Ave Brooklyn, NY, 11217

​​In the wake of World War II and profound social upheaval, Japanese filmmakers channeled national trauma into a rich and distinctive horror cinema. As Toho Studios created new mythologies in the form of iconic kaiju—pop culture-conquering monsters like Godzilla and Mothra—visionary stylists like Kenji Mizoguchi, Kaneto Shindô, and Masaki Kobayashi drew from the past, spinning atmospheric ghost stories from classic Japanese folklore. Fantastical, otherworldly, and wildly unique, these tales of rampaging beasts and supernatural terror are triumphs of cinematic imagination.

GODZILLA
Fri, Oct 26, 2018
2pm, 4:30pm, 7pm
LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 96min
FORMAT: DCP
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
Directed by Ishirô Honda | 1954
With Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata
When a series of underwater nuclear tests awaken a long-dormant, radioactive reptile, it’s only a matter of time before the towering, indestructible Gojira stomps his way to Tokyo—and into pop culture immortality. Atomic age anxiety spawned the most iconic (and most subsequently franchised) movie monster of the 20th century, turning national trauma into pulp mythos.

UGETSU
Sat, Oct 27, 2018
7pm
LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 96min
FORMAT: 35mm
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi | 1953
With Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyô, Kinuyo Tanaka
Master director Kenji Mizoguchi interweaves social realism and the supernatural in this ravishing adaptation of a pair of 16th-century ghost stories. In the midst of civil war, a prideful potter’s desire for wealth draws him away from his faithful wife—and into the arms of a phantom princess. The exquisite elegance of the director’s signature long takes pushes this shivery tale of patriarchal folly into the realm of the sublime.​

MOTHRA
Oct 27—Nov 1, 2018
Sat, Oct 27, 2018
4:30pm
Thurs, Nov 1, 2018
7:00pm
LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 101min
FORMAT: DCP
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
​Directed by Ishirô Honda | 1961
With Frankie Sakai, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kyōko Kagawa
The Toho-verse of mythic beasts continued to expand with the addition of its first female monster: Mothra, a winged avenger who unleashes pandemonium when the fairy-inhabited jungle island she protects is disturbed by explorers. Introducing a rich strain of fantasy and mysticism to his patented kaiju-gone-wild formula, Ishirô Honda crafts a pop art marvel of supreme wonder and strangeness.

Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell
Sat, Oct 27, 2018
9:30pm
LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 84min
FORMAT: 35mm
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
Directed by Hajime Satô | 1968
With Teruo Yoshida, Tomomi Satô, Eizô Kitamura
After their plane crash lands on a remote island, a motley band of strangers find themselves menaced by an oozing, blob-like alien with a thirst for blood—and a hatred of the human race. Writ in blazing, supersaturated Fujicolor, this alternately hypnotic and thoroughly bonkers sci-fi freakout delivers an apocalyptic blend of outré grotesquerie and potent Vietnam-era social commentary.
Screening from a rare archival print of an English dubbed version of the film.

Kwaidan
Sun, Oct 28, 2018
2pm
LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 183min
FORMAT: 35mm
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
​Directed by Masaki Kobayashi | 1964
With Rentarō Mikuni, Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiko Kishi
Among the most visually splendorous horror movies ever made, Masaki Kobayashi’s ghostly fantasia brings together four quietly chilling tales of otherworldly encounters adapted from Lafcadio Hearn’s collections of Japanese folklore. The phantasmagoric art direction—a riot of painted backdrops and expressionistic lighting—and haunting Tōru Takemitsu score create an uncanny, all-enveloping sensory experience.

Jigoku
​Sun, Oct 28, 2018
5:30pm
LOCATION:Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 101min
FORMAT: 35mm
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa | 1960
With Shigeru Amachi, Utako Mitsuya, Yôichi Numata
Nobuo Nakagawa—Japan’s Roger Corman and Mario Bava rolled into one—drags us through the pits of hell in this head-spinningly hallucinatory cult classic. After he flees the scene of a hit-and-run that leaves a yakuza dead, a young man earns a one way ticket to the underworld, envisioned by Nakagawa as an abstract, Boschian nightmare of ceaseless carnage and cruelty.
Print courtesy of Japan Foundation

Pitfall
Tue, Oct 30, 2018
7pm
LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 97min
FORMAT: 35mm
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
Directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara | 1962
With Hisashi Igawa, Kunie Tanaka, Hideo Kanze
The feature debut of Hiroshi Teshigahara was the first of his visionary collaborations—including Woman in the Dunes and The Face of Another—with writer Kōbō Abe and composer Tōru Takemitsu. Blending documentary realism with a jagged modernism, it’s an unsettlingly surreal tale of murder, conspiracy, and corporate exploitation in a desolate mining town—part anti-capitalist screed, part eerily atmospheric ghost story.​

​Kuroneko
Wed, Oct 31, 2018
7pm
LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 99min
FORMAT: 35mm
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
Directed by Kaneto Shindô | 1968
With Kichiemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa, Kei Satô
Hell hath no fury like the seriously wronged undead ladies in this mesmeric tale of witchy revenge. After being brutally murdered by a band of samurai, a mother and daughter-in-law return as feline spirits who set about getting even by ripping open the throats of the men they ensnare. Shot in glittering, gorgeous widescreen black and white, Kaneto Shindô’s spectral shocker drips with dreamlike dread.​

Onibaba
Wed, Oct 31, 2018
9:30pm
LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 102min
FORMAT: 35mm
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
​Directed by Kaneto Shindô | 1964
With Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura, Kei Sato
In the marshlands of 14th-century Japan, a mother and daughter-in-law survive by robbing and murdering lost samurai—until primal passions, twisted mind games, and a demonic mask pit them against one another. Awash in psychosexual menace and indelible chiaroscuro images, Kaneto Shindô’s nightmare vision of feudal Japan lays bare the dehumanizing horrors wrought by poverty and war.

DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (this may be tentative as it it not listed with the other films on the main page on their site)
Thu, Nov 1, 2018
7pm
LOCATION: Peter Jay Sharp Building
BAM Rose Cinemas
RUN TIME: 90min
FORMAT: Digital
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
MEMBERS: $7.50 (free for Level 4 and above)
Directed by Ishirô Honda | 1968
​With Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki, Yukiko Kobayashi.
Under the control of a squadron of shimmery femme-aliens intent on conquering Earth, an all-star cast of
kaiju—including Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah—romp and stomp their way across the
globe, from New York to Moscow to Beijing. The 20th installment in Toho’s giant monster cycle
culminates in the awesome spectacle of an epic, all-beasts-on-board battle atop Mt. Fuji.

L.A. Comic Con has a list of panels up on their website including a few kaiju related panels and one that may give us a hint into the Monsterverse and 2019's Godzilla: King Of The Monsters.  Check out some of the panel info below. The Con takes place Oct 26th - 28th at the Los Angles Convention Center.

Godzilla: Secrets of the Monsterverse
Saturday, Oct 27
3:00 PM
403B
As excitement builds for the return of Godzilla to the big screen in 2019, Legendary Comics, a division of Legendary Entertainment, is proud to present an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes to explore the secrets of Legendary’s Monsterverse from the page to the screen and beyond! This in-depth hour will take you through the history of Monarch: the Monsterverse’s secret organization of monster chasers introduced in the 2014 blockbuster hit Godzilla, and expanded on the pages of comic adaptations Godzilla: Awakening and Skull Island: Birth of Kong. With Monarch set to return bigger than ever in 2019 with Godzilla: King of the Monsters, join Legendary’s team of Monsterverse experts: Barnaby Legg, SVP of Creative Strategy, George Tew, Mythology Manager, as well as Robert Napton, SVP of Comics, and illustrator Drew Johnson as they reveal Legendary Comics’ plans for Godzilla in 2019, and grant declassified access to the Monarch data archives in an info-packed panel that fans won’t want to miss! The first 500 fans in attendance will receive an exclusive signed Godzilla poster only available at the panel!

Giant Robots VS Monster Kaiju Attack Los Angeles Comic Con!
Saturday, Oct 27
12:00 PM
306
Who doesn’t love giant monsters and robots?!? From movies like ‘Godzilla’ and ‘Pacific Rim’ to TV shows like ‘Power Rangers’ and ‘Transformers’, we’re obsessed with big things that stomp on cities and send us running around like ants! Join us for a panel celebration where we discuss kaiju monsters and giant robots with a group of experts on the subject! What Godzilla films are the best? How did shows like Power Rangers influence films like Pacific Rim? Which giant robot or monster could win in a fight? And why are all these mega-sized things so awesome! Come dressed as your favorite robot or monster and join the celebration!

Sketch to Screen: Ready Player One, Rampage, and Beyond...
Saturday, Oct 27
11:00 AM
403A
Visionary concept artist, Aaron Sims (Stranger Things, Wonder Woman, Planet of the Apes Trilogy) and the ASC artist team reveal the secrets behind our character and world-building concept designs, previsualizations and visual effects for some of the most iconic film and television franchises of a generation. Through a series of designs, key scenes, 3D models, and VFX breakdowns, we’ll showcase our latest work in bringing to life the characters and worlds of Ready Player One, Rampage, Lost In Space, and more.. from Sketch-to-Screen.

Make Mine Mecha
Saturday, Oct 27
12:30 PM
303
From the early days of Tetsujin-28 to the inescapable Evangelion, Super Robots have defined anime. This panel will explore the long time history of the super robot genre spanning from the late 1960s to modern day and how each title built the world of giant robots righting monsters (and other robots).

The Kaiju Vs. Heroes: Mark Nagata's Journey Through The World Of Japanese Toys is an event at the Japanese American National Museum, at 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012, that is running from Sept 15, 2018 to March 24, 2019. Check out the details below as well as details for a free showing of Godzilla 1954.

​About the Exhibition
With mighty fangs, menacing horns, and iridescent gold scales, the lizard monster Drazoran crushes an imaginary city while Captain Maxx, wearing a bright red suit, flies in to save the day. Drazoran and Captain Maxx are two of the monsters and heroes that emerged from the creative mind of Mark Nagata, a toy designer and fervent toy collector. At JANM, Drazoran and Captain Maxx join hundreds of dazzling vintage and contemporary Japanese vinyl toys on display in Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys.

In California in the 1970s, Mark Nagata was living an all-American childhood. When he was nine, an aunt and uncle serving on a US military base in Japan sent him a box filled with colorful figures packaged with art-laden header and backing cards featuring alien-looking beings—kaiju and heroes—engaged in battle. These Japanese toys would eventually change Nagata’s life forever. That seemingly simple gift sparked a passion for Nagata that continues this day. Those toys and the artwork of their packaging inspired him to study art, to zealously collect vintage Japanese vinyl toys, and to become a toy designer himself.

Kaiju translates to “strange creature” in English but has come to mean “monster” or “giant monster” referring to the characters that became popular on Japanese film and television soon after World War II. The anxiety surrounding the lasting physical effects of radiation after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki no doubt helped give birth to super-sized monsters like Godzilla, Mothra, Ghidorah, and Rodan, and the advent of these monsters brought about the creation of characters to combat them. Hence the emergence of pop-culture heroes like Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Kikaida.

After the war, the United States closely monitored the types of industries allowed to revive in Japan. The toy industry was one of the first to be enabled to reinvent itself, and the kaiju films and television shows helped fuel it. Additionally, the toy industry helped stimulate Japan’s economy during the early postwar reconstruction period. These new artistic and economic factors fused with kaiju and hero characters to set the stage for a golden age of Japanese popular culture—one that Nagata first became enamored with as a nine-year-old boy.

Nagata’s pursuit of these Japanese toys took him on an unexpected journey that brought new realizations about his cultural identity as an American of Japanese ancestry. As a Sansei (third-generation Japanese American), Nagata once felt removed from his Japanese heritage. After the incarceration experience of the Issei (first generation) and Nisei (second generation), there was an unspoken shedding of openly Japanese cultural practices in America. Proving one’s “Americaness” meant pursuing and embracing a Euro-centric American lifestyle. The children of Nisei were encouraged to follow this path, with only cursory participation in Japanese culture (mostly eating food and celebrating holidays).

Nagata’s story mirrors that of many of his generation, who sought to recover their ethnic heritage and reconnect with their ancestral homelands by studying Japanese, living in Japan as college exchange students, or participating in cultural pursuits such as bon odori dancing and taiko drum ensembles. One of the most accessible sources of a Japanese American connection for youth was through toys and popular culture. It was through this connection that Nagata entered a world that would eventually lead him to explore his cultural roots. Now, we invite you to immerse yourself in the same colorful universe of kaiju and hero toys that inspired one Sansei to delve into his cultural connections.

Creature Features is hosting a multi-media exhibit to celebrate the release of Kong: Skull Island. The event opens March 4th and runs through March 12 in Burbank, California. Check out the event info below.

Creature Features celebrates KING KONG—and this spring's biggest arrival, KONG: SKULL ISLAND from Legendary Pictures—with this multi-media gallery exhibit showcasing works from artists in the fields of film, television, fine art, comics, children’s book illustration, and more!
KING KONG debuted in 1933, courtesy of Merian C. Cooper & Ernest P. Schoedsack, coupled with Willis O'Brien's landmark stop-motion FX. The unforgettable "Eighth Wonder of the World" left a profound impression on generations of fans and filmmakers, manifesting itself in dozens of Kong-inspired movies and TV shows through the years.
From its own sequel, SON OF KONG, to Toho's Kaiju versions, Rankin/Bass' animated TV show in 1966, Dino De Laurentiis' 1976 version, to Peter Jackson's glorious homage in 2005, Kong has proved the public's unending appetite for the affectionate ape.
And, opening on May 10th, Legendary introduces Kong to a whole new generation with its exciting take on the age-old mythos, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and starring Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman and John C. Reilly.
Headlined by renowned artist, adventurer and passionate KING KONG aficionado William Stout, the show will also feature dozens of prestigious artists paying homage to whichever relevant version left an impression on them throughout the past 80+ years.

Artists include:
Nathan Anderson
Brent Armstrong
Ted Blackman
Tim Cahill
Andy Carey
Anthony Carpenter
Lee Copeland
Ricardo Delgado
Frank Dietz
John Eaves
Jeff Farley
Wolf Forrest
Matthew Gallagher
James Groman
Kenneth J. Hall
Lori Herbst
Nikolas Ilic
Emma Julia Jacobs
Benton Jew
Phil Joyce
Neil McLean
Smokin' Joe McWilliams
Jonathan Morrill
Studio Murugiah
Daniel Nash
Eric October
Leah Olbrich
Jeff Preston
Alex Quintero
Scott Ramirez
MP Raymond
Michael Reagan
Stephen Sandoval
Jenn Shieh
Cecil Skaluba
Javier Soto
Ethan Spaulding
Mark Tavares
Jed Thomas
Pete Von Sholly
Zack Wallenfang
Woody Welch
Trevor Zammit
And more!

Opening reception will take place on Saturday, March 4th, from 6 PM to 9 PM.
Creature Features is located at 2904 W Magnolia Blvd in beautiful downtown Burbank.
Admission is FREE!
If you'd like to submit art, contact us at kongartshow@gmail.com.

Winter Wonder Festival is this weekend we posted lots of awesome pics on our Facebook page here, but there was also a few surprises. First was the premiere of X-Plus' Gigantic '54 Godzilla Yuji Sakai (above), according to our friends at Kaiju Addicts this is one of a few planned, it should be around 18 inches tall and should be out be summer. Another reveal was new Kaiyodo/Revoltech Gamera figures (below) there haven't been new ones in a while, no info on these yet we will post when we have it. There was a number of other figures and kits shown more info on all of these as soon as we get it.

From Facebook 
Join BAFE for the 4th annual Godzilla Night at the Historic Bal Theatre!

This year we are presenting a mini film fest based on the brand new documentary called "Kaiju Gaiden"!

"Kaiju" is the Japanese word for "monster", meaning "strange beast". "Gaiden" is a Japanese word which means "outside story". It normally refers to a supplemental story or spin-off. KAIJU GAIDEN is the continuing story of the giant monster genre.

KAIJU GAIDEN is also the title of a documentary film by director/producer David Hall spotlighting various Japanese filmmakers who have continued the tradition of tokusatsu (special effects) movies. It is part of the Independent Kaiju Project, an endeavor by producer Mark Jaramillo to track down, catalog, and promote independently made kaiju films that have languished in obscurity.

KAIJU GAIDEN is the first documentary which assemble various filmmakers who have produced their own movies featuring gigantic monsters stomping cities and engaging in savage battle with one another. Although made at different time periods, the directors still utilize traditional special effects techniques unique to the genre, sometimes supplemented with modern technology. The directors will tell their respective stories of their love for the genre, their inspirations, and the issues involved in making a special effects film.

These are the untold stories of giant monsters and the men who make them. This is KAIJU GAIDEN.

On July 12th, 2014, hundreds of Japanese Tokusatsu (special effects) fans descended upon the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge, IL for "IFUKUBE 100: A LEGACY OF MONSTER MUSIC". This historic concert was a celebration of the music that maestro Akira Ifukube wrote for Toho's Godzilla film series. The Rondo Award-nominated event was met with praise, accolades, and recognition from Chicago to Tokyo. Friends and fans were in awe and left wanting more. The time has come to deliver just that, even bigger and better!

One of the biggest requests by the fans was to hear some of the themes that Mr. Ifukube wrote for non-Godzilla Toho films such as "Atragon", "The Mysterians", and "War of the Gargantuas". So to satisfy this, as well as deliver for the people who missed out last year, we will be conducting the FIRST EVER North American live performance of Mr. Ifukube's concert work "Symphonic Fantasia". This three movement piece, which was accompanied by scenes from the corresponding movies for the Toho Video release of "Godzilla Fantasia", features not only the best of his work from the Godzilla series, but also from the other aforementioned films. Symphonic Fantasia will be performed under license from Toho Music. But that is only one portion of what we have in store for all of you.

The first portion of the concert will focus on the incredible music of the composer Kow Otani. In 1995, Mr. Otani was called upon to be the musical anchor in director Shusuke Kaneko's "Gamera: Guardian of the Universe"(1995). This fantastic film was a throwback to the incredible kaiju films of Ishiro Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya and re-established Gamera as viable franchise. Otani and director Kaneko re-teamed for two sequels, "Gamera 2: Assault of Legion" (1996), and "Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris" (1999) before collaborating on "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack" at Toho Studios in 2001.

This performance will be the WORLD PREMIERE of Mr. Otani's kaiju scores, as they have never been performed live even in Japan, and he is working directly with us to ensure that the music is represented with absolute respect and authenticity. One of our stretch goals will also be to bring Mr. Otani to the concert as the guest of honor.

As it did last year, the concert will take place in conjunction with G-FEST on the weekend of July 10th-12th, 2015. Again taking up the baton for the performance will be John DeSentis with an orchestra of exceptionally talented freelance musicians from the Chicago area. We also want to make sure that our friends and fans understand that this fundraiser is for the production of the show. Tickets will be separate for those under the $200 backer level. However, backers and convention attendees will get first opportunity to purchase tickets at discounted pricing. Precise details about show time and date will be announced after the campaign.

Check out the full detailshere.

We are attending NYCC and will be covering the con along with our sister site The Brightest Day, be sure to check here under Fanworks/Events-Cons section as well as our Godmera's Fandom section (under the Features section) which includes the live feeds from NYCC.